In operations aimed at aggressive and drunken drivers, state police and cooperating law enforcement agencies made dozens of arrests late Friday and early yesterday, including 14 on driving while intoxicated charges at a sobriety checkpoint on the Ocean City Expressway.

More than 130 troopers were assigned to patrols on interstate highways in Central Maryland, where 40 people were arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, 11 driving with revoked or suspended licenses and 13 others on criminal charges or fugitive warrants, said Capt. Greg Shipley, a state police spokesman.

The troopers issued 1,453 traffic citations and 351 warnings.

In Worcester County, the police set up a sobriety checkpoint east of Route 589 on the Ocean City Expressway -- a dangerous, high-speed road between U.S. 50 and Ocean City, with only a single lane in each direction.

Between 11: 08 p.m. and 3 a.m., police reported checking 1,426 vehicles -- a reflection of the heavy traffic during the beach season -- and the arrests indicated that about 1 percent of the drivers were under the influence of alcohol.

Police also arrested six people suspected of drug possession and issued 11 citations to minors in possession of alcohol.

Sgt. Martin Koerner of the Berlin state police barracks said the checkpoint operation along Route 90 was aimed at drunken driving -- particularly among minors -- and reducing accidents.

"Route 90 is notorious for a lot of fatal accidents," Koerner said. "And we wanted to catch the youngsters before they go to Ocean City and cause any trouble there."

The Worcester County Sheriff's Department and the Ocean City and Ocean Pines police helped in the operation.